The present invention relates broadly to apparatus for automatic removal of animal wastes from enclosed animal shelters, such as barns, stables, and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a water reservoir system equipped with a multiplicity of valves for selectively outputting large uantities of water for flushing and cleaning stables. The present invention is believed best classified in U.S. utility class 119.
Through the years, a variety of systems have been developed to facilitate the removal of animal waste from enclosed shelters. One water-driven animal waste removal plant, commonly known as the Aegean system, was referenced centuries ago in the account of Hercules. In recent years, strict government health and disease control standards as well as the rising costs of animal care necessitiate more effective and efficient waste disposal systems.
As will be appreciated by those experienced in working with livestock, modern animal shelters typically include some type of slatted or grated false floor which permits the animal wastes to fall through into sub-floor channels or gutters which can be more conveniently emptied or flushed. Representative of such floor structures are U.S. Pat. Nos. 386,997, issued to Logan on July 31, 1888; Herring, 4,256,057, issued Mar. 17, 1981; Barnidge et al., 4,048,960, issued Sept. 20, 1977; in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,520,759, issued June 4, 1985 to Deters; and in 4,231,325, issued to Parks on Nov. 4, 1980. Another type of waste removal floor system known to us, of somewhat less relevance to the present invention, employs a movable floor scraper or scrubber device, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,985,103 issued to Gallei on Oct. 12, 1976; and 4,123,992, issued Nov. 7, 1978 to Laurenz.
Removal of wastes from typical sub-floor systems is usually accomplished by scrapers or hydraulic pressure. Water supplied by a fountain, water sprayer head, wash apparatus, or gravity-flow flushing system may passes over or down the sub-floor surface. For example, Varani, U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,279, issued June 17, 1980, discloses a water sprayer system adapted to selectively floor the sloped floor surface. Hazen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,568, issued Nov. 19, 1974 teach the use of a siphon-type apparatus adapted to draw flushing fluids from an elevated tank.
One main disadvantage of such prior art flushing systems known to us is that they are not equipped to store and selectively disperse a sufficient quantity of water at one time to quickly and completely flush out the waste materials from the sub-floor systems. A single flushing is thus inadequate to achieve the desired cleanliness; multiple flushings are inefficient and costly. Hence it would seen desirable to provide a convenient system which has the ability to discharge a large volume of water very quickly.
As will be appreciated, it has long been known to employ valves for controlling the velocity and force of water flow from a tank or other similar reservoir. A variety of flushing valves have been described in the prior art. Prior art valves disclosed by Raque et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,560 issued Feb. 10, 1981 and by Grenier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,042, issued June 22, 1971 employ pistons movable within a tubular housing for selectively opening and blocking side inlet ports. The earlier U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,154, issued to Agoliati et al. on Sept. 20, 1960 discloses a basic piston valve which can be selectively displayed upwardly either above or below a side fluid inlet conduit. Similarly, the piston valve disclosed by Marttinen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,561, issued Feb. 10, 1981 is driven within a tubular passageway to control fluid inflow from a multiplicity of side vents in the housing.
While such valves have proven effective and practical for smaller appications, no valve system known to us is capable of conveniently and quickly outletting a large quantity of fluid under pressure. In order to attain the desired result, it would appear beneficial to provide a water storage system operatively linked to a plurality of inlet valves which can be effectively used to quickly supply a large quantity of water adequate to complete a stall cleaning in a single flush cycle.